I enjoy watching the reality show ‘Jockeys’ on the Animal Channel. I know something about training animals, I used to train Bottlenose Dolphins and Orcas, but I know very little about horses. They talk about the role the trainer plays in the success of a horse, but I’m having trouble understanding their role. I can see how important having a good jockey is, but I get the feeling that almost anyone could ride certain horses to wins if they have at least some experience.
So is the job of the trainer just to make sure the horse is in top physical condition, or is it more than that? For example, does someone have to “train” a horse how to run? Aren’t thoroughbred horses natural atheletes? So what exactly does a trainer do to help a horse become successful in racing?
Someone please enlighten me!
With racing horses one of the responsibilities of the jockey is to tell the horse to pace itself and run efficiently. While it is true that a thoroughbred is, in a sense, born to run and they will run if left to their own devices, that doesn’t mean they instinctively know how to run in the most efficient manner. Jockeys regularly report needing to hold a horse back at the beginning of a race so it doesn’t sprint and exhaust itself too soon, and has enough energy to last the entire race. Jockeys can also guide the horses’ direction, making collisions less likely.
Horses also have to be trained to stand calmly at the starting line, and to surge forward when the gates are opened. They need to be decelerated slowly, as too sudden a stop at the end of the race could cause injury.
So, while the horses do the running, the humans do provide input into the activity to make it both more efficient and safer (at least in theory).